Tag: syria

Conspiracy theories seem to be taking center stage in American politics these days. That being said, the current president seems to find conspiracies believable. Now, why do so many people believe conspiracy theories? When Trump makes an outrageous claim with no evidence to back it up, why are there so many people jumping on the bandwagon?

Maybe it’s because some of the institutions in our country that should be reliable have done things that have damaged their credibility. When agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) lose public trust, then it’s easier to turn to conspiracy theories as reliable information. So how bad have the “good guys” become?

The CIA was created in 1947. It’s job has been to collect and analyze information about foreign nationals, organizations, businesses and government officials on the down-low. No one is supposed to know they are being spied on. However, thanks to whistle-blowers and the viral nature of the worldwide web, many of their nasty, little secrets have been revealed. And now, the CIA may have to suffer the consequences of being damaged goods unworthy of public trust.

Now, the gringa understands that the spy business is a nasty business. No one likes a snoop, a snitch or a turncoat. But, the reality is, if a country wants to know what the enemy is up to, spies are necessary. We may despise a spook, but without them, we would all be much more vulnerable. But what do we do if our spy community takes advantage of secrecy to abuse their broad authority? What if that results in our “good guys” morphing into the “bad guys”? Well, then the whole world is in trouble. For anyone to be truly safe, it has to be clear who, exactly, the good guys are.

Operation Ajax: Many people today may not even think about a serious power struggle in Iran that took place more than half a century ago. In 1951, the current Shah, Reza Pahlavi, survived an attempt on his life. It’s possible this assassination plan was cooked up by none other than his Prime Minister who wanted to reduce the Shah’s power. The CIA took interest because of, what else, oil. Particularly a British oil company, AIOC.

The Shah’s opposition considered this foreign oil company’s presence just one step too close to invasive British imperialism. Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh demanded an audit which AIOC refused. What’s a Prime Minister to do when his authority is insulted? Seize the company and make it a national asset.

The 1950s was the height of the Cold War. Every European nation, including the great island of the UK, kept oil supplies ready and at hand, their military capabilities primed should Russia strike. With British oil supplies in Iran threatened, which, in turn, threatened the readiness of their military, who else does the UK turn to but their powerful cousin across the pond, the US.

The Eisenhower Administration was on board, eager to flex its muscles for all the world to see. Especially Russia. And Mossadegh’s aggressive takeover of a British company was interpreted by Americans in the throes of the Red Scare as one step toward Communism for Iran.

Of course, the US was then “obligated” to save the vulnerable Iranians from Communism and “preserve” democracy”. Yep, the same old recycled story of preserving democracy as a cover for interfering in the sovereignty of a country in order to control their valuable oil.

The funny thing is that Prime Minister Mossadegh was actually an advocate of democracy. He, himself, was a democratically-elected official. His political goal was to diminish the power of the station of Shah who was a hereditary monarch. See the conflict here? In the end, however, the CIA launched Operation Ajax. This is how things went down:

Iranian officials and mafiosos were bribed.

Staged protests were bought and paid for in every major Iranian city.

CIA agents were boots on the ground, using radios to transmit coverage of protests to the US and other media around the world.

The media covered this news, effectively convincing their respective populations that Tehran was about to be overwhelmed by a populist army of rebels. (Is this beginning to sound familiar, you know, like Syria?)

Mossadegh saw the writing on the wall and resigned.

The new Prime Minister was a British/US puppet who restored oil monies to the British and the power of the throne to the Shah.

The Shah responded with a security crackdown: secret police, traitors prisons for suspects without hearing or trial, and a major propaganda campaign to practically deify the Shah in the eyes of all Iranians.

Considering the outcome of the operation, it’s pretty easy to see that the “preserve democracy” justification was a sham. The West’s only interest was to get rid of Mossadegh because the only goal was to preserve British control of oil interests. So long as the Shah followed the program, the CIA was more than happy for this bloody tyrant to stay in power.
As it turns out, the CIA, British and Americans were no real friend to the Shah. They stood idly by while Communists and radical Islamists oranized secretly right under his watchful nose. It took more than a quarter of a century but, eventually, these rebels rioted and drove the Shah right off his throne. This was followed up with massacres of those who supported the Shah and any foreigners in Iran exploiting oil interests. Children were not spared.

What happened next is the installation of the Shah most of us are more familiar with, Ayatollah Khomeni. And he was incredibly ruthless, loyal to none. Once in power he turned right around and slaughtered the leftists who had led the rebellion that ousted his predecessor. What a reward for loyalty! Tens of thousands were imprisoned. This is when the famous hostage crisis at the American Embassy occurred during the Carter administration.

Neighboring Iraq took full advantage of the chaos. They invaded Iran on their western border. It is this key invasion event that created a ripple effect of events that are still unfolding today in all that is going on in the Middle East. Because, if not for the original interference of the CIA in 1953 that resulted in a political and monarchal coup in Iran, the de-stabilization and continued conflict for superior power present today would not have resulted. Iran had been, up until that time, a stabilizing seat of power in the Middle East.

By organizing a revolution the CIA set the stage for Islamic radicals and political rebels to flourish. Nw these rebels and radicals knew that there were powerful nations willing to arm and supply them if profit and oil interests would be in their favor by doing so. The precedence was set for the US and UK to exploit mercenary Middle Eastern rebels and radicals as a means to maintain Western control of Middle East oil reserves. They would use these assets to threaten a leader who stepped out of line or replace a leader who dared to go rogue.

The gringa knows that lots of people like to blame the war on terror on George W. or other contemporary political actors. The reality is that the seeds were planted much, much earlier in history for this poisonous tree that is bearing toxic fruit today.

Let’s suppose for a minute that the allegations are true: that Putin promised the White House and a share in Rosneft to Trump in exchange for lifting Russian sanctions, blackmail of Ukraine’s leader and installing a pro-Russian Ukraine leader which would provide unfettered access to Ukraine’s pipelines. Those pipelines are worthless without the crude being shipped out of the Middle East. Russia’s only port for crude shipping in the Middle East is in SYRIA. What if Syria was part of the bargain?

Russia couldn’t very well topple its own ally it is fighting beside in a civil war. Could it be that Trump or Putin would stage a dark op to cast Assad in such a light that the US could justify a military action so crippling that Syria’s only survival becomes completely dependent on Russia? Russia could then install a new government in Syria, staffed by its own operatives. Trump and Putin would then become the most powerful and wealthy men in the entire world.

But what would happen if this dynamic duo had their plans exposed? It is suspected that Putin is the authority behind the assassination of those with vital knowledge. The suspected body count is now up to 10. What if Trump has become paranoid that he or one of his loved ones might become a Russian liability as US intelligence communities creep their investigations forward? What if Trump decided to cut his losses, that this is all getting too complicated and bothersome and he’s just not enjoying himself any longer? What if Trump tried to cut and run from his Putin obligations? What would happen then? What if this is what is happening?

What if a war is actually about to break out because one crook tried to double-cross another crook and these two crooks both happen to be in control of 2 of the most powerful and deadly military forces in the world? The world is watching 2 madmen on a stage and we have no idea what the real plot is.

The gringa has few solid answers, plenty of questions, and a treasure trove of US documented history that indicates that a dark operation by the US is entirely plausible. I can also guarantee you that Trump’s strike on Syria was NOT motivated by his great, big, humanitarian heart that was bleeding on behalf of suffering, gassed Syrian children. And damn his heretical invocation of the name of God for his actions.

Many dark operations have, in fact, already gone down in US history before. The gringa warns her dear readers to beware. Be very cautious moving forward as you attempt to decide your own position in this very dangerous situation.

The US mainstream media will most likely fall in line. For some news agencies it will be sudden. Others will deliver a slow drip, drip, drip of conditioning to gradually mold the minds of skeptics. But expect all US mainstream media to eventually get around to demonizing Assad and hail President Trump. Americans should beware of the same media that sold us the deceitful bill of goods that gave us Iraq during the Bush administration. Read media from other nations. As you do, you will become acutely aware that Trump, and viz a viz America, is being called every name in the book from rogue nation to terrorist.

State sponsored media in Russia is prepping its population to support, and even demand, a showdown with the US. America is being painted as monsters, the puppets of Zionist terrorists in Israel. Russian media is capitalizing on the love loss between Trump and US neighbors south of the border. Many leaders of countries in Central and South America are pondering over the same possibilities the gringa has mentioned here and in the previous Special Report of yesterday.

There have even been some US southern neighbors welcoming Russia. Just this month it was announced that Russia was shoring up its military and economic alliances with these South American countries that are practically at America’s back door: Argentina, Cuba, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. While Trump was busy denigrating neighbors that could make or break our national security, Putin was investing in a local strategy of power and influence. You see why the gringa say, “Take care, dear readers.”

Trump’s actions have been extremely immature and downright dangerous. His lack of sophistication has driven him to desperate actions. Trump has now painted targets on the backs of every American abroad, whether living abroad or traveling for business or pleasure. As the gringa discussed events with her dear caveman, he reminded her of the numerous kidnappings, tortures and murders of Americans that took place in the 70s as the reputation of America became diminished abroad.

Not only is Russia preparing for a confrontation with US sailors in the Mediterranean off the shores of Syria, but Russian ally Iran sits poised for Putin’s direction. Make no mistake about what is happening. Trump is the worst national disaster in the US since the Great Depression. I hope the few points his popularity polls crept upward are worth to him all the lives his megalomania is costing the world. The US president is a madman. And he is a madman who is either in league with another madman, Putin, or has double-crossed that madman. Either way, this is the worst news the entire world could receive.

To understand the significance of what just happened, it is important to ask the right questions. Although the gringa would never deny the importance of humanitarian actions, we first have to determine if the American people have been told the truth of what happened in Syria or if we have been duped to support a dark operation. Please read on with an open mind. More importantly, follow the links to further your own personal research in order to draw the most informed conclusion. Even after the research the gringa has already done, she is still left with more questions. Although I am deeply moved by the suffering of the Syrian people, I cannot support Trump’s actions.

Trump had been quietly building up troops in the region of Syria’s conflict since February yet the mainstream media rarely reported these movements. Why?

Trump has always criticized publicizing intended military action as a stupid way of giving the target a head’s up. Yet he notified Russia and Syria officials of his intentions, though not the public. Russia and Syria had time to evacuate personnel and critical equipment and supplies. However, it appears that innocent Syrian civilians were left behind to become collateral damage, public sympathy insurance for Syrian and Russian anti-American propaganda. Also notice in Russia’s drone footage it only appears that outbuildings and insignificant runways were destroyed. Unscathed are major runways, earthen, concrete open hangars with aircraft parked within and aircraft parked in the open. Why?

Russia has troops deployed strategically around the world. Build-ups have been reported by many European nations that see Russia as a growing threat. Yet Trump did not think it necessary to be concerned of Russia retaliation to the US or our allies. Why?

Trump is an avid conspiracy theorist who has publicly insulted and questioned the integrity of the US intelligence community. Such intelligence would be required to verify the identity of who authorized the Syrian gas attack. Conflicting reports throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia raise possibilities that it was a false flag event staged by the rebels and terrorists designed to be blamed upon Assad. Yet Trump immediately chose to trust the US intelligence community and reject conspiracy possibilities intended to provoke this very response. Why?

Trump has consistently praised and supported the brutal leadership characteristics of Putin and Assad. Yet suddenly he changes his position and engages in an act of war with lightning speed. Why?

Historically, when a president is fraught with unpopularity, low employment, paralyzing controversy, and stagnant economy a war temporarily solves these problems. For a president accused, and being investigated, for treason and collusion with Russia, what more significant gesture to refute the accusations than to attack Russia through an ally proxy? Considering how much power and wealth is at stake between a Putin-Trump alliance, it is entirely possible KGB master of propaganda, deception & mind-molding, Putin himself, cooked up this plan because it is certainly too complex for Trump. This could all be political theatre at the cost of Syrian civilian lives.

Read history, dear readers. Look at Operation Ajax from the 1950s, perpetrated by the CIA on behalf of British oil interest in Iran. All the elements are the same. Staged civilian protest. Staged revolution. Arming of rebels and radicals. Bloody political coup. Massive propaganda and misinformation campaign to win US public support for a fake war that was the cover to install a puppet government to control oil interest. Delve into the documents of the CIA itself to discover that what has unfolded in Syria is simply a re-run of what happened in Iran nearly 70 years ago in Operation Ajax.

Read the works of Noam Chomsky. Hegemony has long been US foreign policy regardless of what party or individual controlled the White House. Trump is no different. That is why, by and large, Congress will support him regardless of party affiliation and even though his action was illegal, lacking Congressional approval. The US is a warmonger, always looking for justification to act on its power for profit or power expansion. And April, 6, 1917, 100 years ago yesterday, the US entered WWI. For a man who loves the taste of drama, don’t think such a detail as this significant anniversary escaped Trump.

Although Trump is justifying his act on the horror of civilians, especially children, being gassed, America has NEVER waged a war for purely humanitarian reasons. If Trump was motivated by humanitarianism, he would not reject desperate refugees seeking shelter in the US. He would not be ignoring the suffering of South Sudanese children caught up in their nation’s civil war. He would be inserting US military into Nigeria to stop the ethnic cleansing and religious genocide that is ongoing. There is only one reason Trump has intervened in Syria. Power and national interest. If you wonder what’s so darn important about Syria, check out the basics of the strategic interests of each party involved in this long, drawn out conflict:

US strategic interest in Syria: The importance of Syria is not because of the resources it has, but because of the countries that border it. Iraq is one neighbor, an oil production giant with many Americans on Iraqi soil and vulnerable to a Syria that might be controlled by a leader who is no friend to America. American allies Israel, Jordan and Turkey skirt 3 other borders.Russia’s interest: Syria has provided naval station Tartus to the Russian Federation for the past 40 years. It is Moscow’s primary marine foothold in the Mediterranean region. The Mediterranean serves as the major corridor for Intra-European trade and the flow of oil in and out of the Middle East through Syria and, ultimately, to Russian interests.

ISIS interest: ISIS is composed mainly of fundamentalist Sunni Muslims who believe that the whole world should become a single Islamic community living under one Islamic State governed by Sharia Law. War in Syria would give them a golden opportunity to build a proto-state adjacent to countries where Sunni Muslims are a majority. Sunni majority nations bordering Syria or in extremely close proximity: Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and Turkey. These Sunni rich nations are vast recruitment assets for growing the ranks of ISIS. For ISIS to control Syria would mean greater ease in accomplishing their global mission. It would solidify their grip on the Middle East. This would mean the rest of the world would see their oil interests strangled unless they submitted to ISIS. A nation without Middle East oil powering their military is a nation that is powerless in the face of ISIS. Control of Syria is crucial to winning, or losing, the war against ISIS.

At first glance, the war with ISIS is the most logical reason for Trump’s action. However, we must still consider that Russia has been no friend to ISIS, nor has Assad. There was really no real threat of an ISIS takeover of Syria. The civil war in Syria was beginning to turn in Assad’s favor with the helpful latest push from ally, Russia. Why would Assad then sabotage such progress by a reprehensible gas attack on his people? He is no naive child on the world stage. He had to know there would have been a backlash at least, retaliatory action at most. This is a puzzle many nations who have no oil interest in Syria are openly discussing. And their conclusions are quite dark and disturbing.

Is Trump’s action in Syria indicative of yet one more secret Trump-Russia pact? The election collusion has always centered around the power of oil interests. The allegations: Russia would gift Trump an oil interest in Rosneft along with the White House in exchange for the US lifting Russian sanctions. Trump was also to blackmail the leader of US ally Ukraine to step down making it possible to install a Russian friendly Ukrainian leader. The end result would be a Russian proxy Ukraine allowing unfettered access to lucrative pipelines. What if Syria was also part of the deal?

By destabilizing an already weakened Assad, Trump can create the conditions for Putin to gain control of Syria. Syria has a coastal border which has long provided Russia with port access to move oil. Is Syria to be another gift from Trump to Russia? Was this move to set the stage of pay off by toppling Assad which would enable Russia to tighten its control and install a puppet Syrian leader? Some nation’s are beginning to suspect just such a secret deal between Trump and Putin. Peruse the discussions taking place amongst foreign policy experts in Asia. Such a pact would then explain the inexplicable. Whereas Assad has nothing to gain from gassing his people, the US and Russia or the rebels have much to gain by staging a civilian attack and blaming Assad.

The dear reader may think these suggestions are preposterous. But stop and consider what happens if Middle East oil power is consolidated into the hands of one individual or a partnership between two individuals. If Trump and Putin have ambitions of controlling the world’s oil supplies, they will become the most powerful and wealthy men in the entire history of the world. Such an ambition is not beyond the realm of possibility with these two megalomaniacs. And to achieve their dream, regime change in Syria is necessary. To better understand how critical control of Syria is, read the analysis of the Communist Party USA. Even if you are virulently opposed to Communism, one cannot refute facts regardless of the messenger.

Although the missile attack is sensational, it is the motive that preceded it and the aftermath that ensues that really matters. Someone, or a group of “someones”, will pay the price for this action. Is death for the masses to be the

price of Trump’s low approval ratings? Would these lives be Syrian troops on the ground at the base during the missile launch? Assad, himself? Nope. Trump gave Syria and Russia a head’s up so they could evacuate critical officials, military personnel, equipment and supplies. The only ones paying the price for Trump’s low approval ratings right now appear to be the Syrian civilians left behind, the price Syria and Russia were willing to pay for public sympathy. And a future price may include the American and Russian soldiers who will die as a result of Trump’s desperation to turn things around for himself and deliver what is owed to Putin.

Russia’s navy and biggest guns are speeding to the region as we speak, prepared for confrontation with the US naval ships who launched the attack. And, in the grand scheme of things, every American who continues to naively accept being emotionally manipulated by a government bent on world domination will pay the price. The path of hegemony the US follows will continue to wreak havoc around the world. This will continue to destabilize populations. Desperate populations will continue to flee to America and other places. And they will always require our financial assistance.

Ufologists and Ancient Alien theorists use as supporting evidence for their beliefs something called the “Tulli Papyrus”. They claim it is an ancient Egyptian record of a mass sighting of UFOs. Is the translation accurate? Is the artifact genuine? Authentic? True? Real? Well, dear reader, please join the gringa in the discovery of what we can determine to be true.

The original document is alleged to be a record dating back to the era of the reign of Thutmose III which would be around 1480BC. The gringa is then curious as to what else was going on in the world around that time. I mean, if extra-terrestrials were so interested in Earthlings, would they have only buzzed the pyramids? Were there any other curious civilizations that may have been worth a peek?

Earth, 1480BC or thereabouts

1575BC Baby Moses discovered and adopted by Hatsheput who later became Egyptian Queen of Thutmose II; Hatsheput ruled Egypt for 22 years after her husband’s death

1500BC – Aryans establish the Vedic civilization in India (The Aryans, from central Asia, spoke an Indo-European language and brought a polytheistic religion and religious literature known as the Vedas)

1500BC-1400BC – The Rigveda, a Vedic Sanskrit religious poem or hym, is composed; Battle of the 10 Kings: Battle memorialized in the Rigveda; Mumum Pottery Period of Korea begins centered around an Asian culture noted for its simple pottery, elaborate burials and agriculture of millet, beans and rice.

1481BC – Lunar eclipse period Saros 43 begins. During this cycle (which lasts about 18 years) 85 lunar eclipses occurred within about 2 1/2 years with an average of about three eclipses monthly. The longest one lasted almost 2 hours, shortest one lasted about half an hour. During this cycle

1480BC Egyptian Queen dies and is succeeded by her stepson/nephew Thutmosis III. In his hatred of her he destroys her monuments and erases her name from official records. He seeks to kill Moses, her adopted son, who escapes to the desert. Thutmosis III begins the expansion period, conquering Palestine & Syria, claiming geography from the Upper Nile to the Euphrates

Ancient Egyptians were dedicated to keeping detailed written records. So what exactly did Thutmose III record on this “Tulli” papyrus? Where was this artifact found? What exactly was it? Who translated it? What does it mean? The gringa just has to know these things before I accept someone else telling me it’s a record of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh’s eyewitness account of UFO visitation.

In 1933 a fellow by the name of Alberto Tulli visited Cairo. He worked for the Vatican Museum in the department of Egyptian antiquities. So, he was on the hunt for something interesting for the museum. He visited an antique shop, which was common practice in the old days when searching for antiquities. Tomb raiding was still going on so artifacts from ancient tombs would be sold to antique shops by the sticky-fingered burglars of all things old.

Tulli found a document he wanted to buy but the price was too steep. So, he did the next best thing, he copied the text of the document. Yes, Tulli was a plagiarist. That’s one strike against him in the gringa’s book. The gringa says, “Uh oh. So, there is no original to compare the translation with. Mm hmm. Red flag of doubt number one raised quite high.” So, Tulli claims he copied down the original hieratic script which then would have been translated into hieroglyphics and then translated into the language of your choice. So, basically a third hand copy of a document of dubious existence. Many of the present translations in English, as well as other languages, are filled with gaps where it is obvious that content has been deleted and no explanation has been given.

Twenty years later Italian Prince Boris de Rachewiltz claimed to be in possession of the original document. He said that he found it among papers belonging to the now deceased Tulli. He appointed renowned Egyptologist Etienne Drioton with the task of translating and transcribing the original document. Drioton was an expert Egyptologist on staff at the Cairo Museum as well as author of his own independent research and work, often being consulted by others worldwide on ancient Egyptian history and translation.

Translation of the document revealed that nothing within it could designate it as originating with Thutmose III’s dynasty. Experts accept the credibility and quality of the translation, however and do not consider it to be a hoax. Although the document is called a papyrus, it is not actually a papyrus. The original document in Rachewiltz’ possession was only the “original” copy made by Tulli of the papyrus he claimed to have found in the antique store. So, that takes us back to the original dilemma of having nothing to authenticate what Tulli wrote down. The world has only Tulli’s claim that he copied these words from an authentic papyrus and the Prince’s claim that he had found it. So, what was it Tulli wrote down that is so sensational? I have chosen anthropologist R. Cedric Leonard’s translation because it is closer to modern English:

“In the year 22, of the third month of winter, sixth hour of the day (big blank space)… among the scribes of the House of Life it was found that a strange Fiery Disk was coming in the sky. It had no head. The breath of its mouth emitted a foul odor. Its body was one rod in length and one rod in width. It had no voice. It came toward His Majesty’s house. Their hearts became confused through it, and they fell upon their bellies. They [went] to the king, to report it. His Majesty [ordered that] the scrolls [located] in the House of Life be consulted. His Majesty meditated on all these events which were now going on.

After several days had passed, they became more numerous in the sky than ever. They shined in the sky more than the brightness of the sun, and extended to the limits of the four supports of heaven (big blank space)… Power was the position of the Fiery Disk.

The army of the King looked on, with His Majesty in their midst. It was after the evening meal when the Disks ascended even higher in the sky to the south. Fish and other volatiles rained down from the sky: a marvel never before known since the foundation of the country. And His Majesty caused incense to be brought to appease the heart of Amun-Re, the god of the Two Lands. And it was [ordered] that the events [be recorded for] His Majesty in the Annals of the House of Life [to be remembered] for ever.”

When the credibility of the Tulli papyrus was tested, investigation began by Gianfranco Nolli who was Inspector to Egyptian Vatican Museum. He reported that the Tulli Papyrus was not Vatican property and could offer no suggestion as to the original document’s location. Dr. Walter Ramberg, Scientific Attache with Rome’s U.S. Embassy responded that Tulli’s original copy was presumed to be among documents bequeathed to his brother, a priest, after his death. However, upon the death of Tulli’s brother, the document became lost as his belongings were eventually dispersed among family members.

So, an original copy of a presumed authentic antiquity does not even exist. The case grows even more tenuous. The only credibility for this testament now lies in the word of Prince de Rachelwitz who had the document translated by Drioton. So, the question now is, “Did the darn thing ever exist in the first place?”

Well, the gringa will give ol’ Rachelwitz and Tulli the benefit of the doubt and just assume that, once upon a time, that papyrus in the antique shop was the real deal. But when the gringa reads the translation, I don’t see images of UFOs. I see images of a comet.

Ancient Egyptians were master astronomers. Around 1450BC ancient Egyptians began using sundials and had been constructing sun-aligned temples since 2000BC. They were expert stargazers along with their Babylonian neighbors. The gringa believes they would know the difference between a mass sighting of UFOs and a comet. Please follow my trains of thought:

“A strange Fiery Disk was coming in the sky…” A fireball is seen in the heavens approaching. It is described as a disk because, from the Egyptian’s vantage point, they could not tell that it was a sphere, only two dimensional, round and flat.

“It had no head. The breath of its mouth emitted a foul odor. Its body was one rod in length and one rod in width…” It was circular, hence no “head”. It smelled bad. Astronomers and scientists have concluded that comets are smelly. With many containing things like ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, formaldehyde, and methanol, if Egypt experienced a massive comet fly-by very near Earth and raining down tail debris that broke away and entered Earth’s atmosphere to eventually shower the region, Egypt’s air probably smelled like a dead man’s fart. An ancient Egyptian “rod” measures, roughly, about 520 millimeters (or 20 inches). Um, not a very big and threatening UFO. Certainly the ancient Egyptians were squinting their eyes and holding a measuring rod up to the sky to measure the fireball in the background.

“After several days had passed, they became more numerous in the sky than ever. They shined in the sky more than the brightness of the sun, and extended to the limits of the four supports of heaven (big blank space)… Power was the position of the Fiery Disks.” This astronomical event lasted for days which is common when a comet passes near enough Earth to be seen by the naked eye or a telescope. The comet or meteorites were numerous and could be seen during the day as they burned up in the atmosphere. They filled the sky and could be seen in every direction. The largest, or “mother” of the comet cluster was oriented in the East (position of power).

“It was after the evening meal when the Disks ascended even higher in the sky to the south…” Within one day the orientation of the “mother” comet had traveled from the Eastern horizon to the Southern horizon, appearing higher (smaller) as it traveled further away.

“Fish and other volatiles rained down from the sky…” The gringa suspects that some tail debris of the comet crashed into the Nile and/or Euprates and the impact blew fish up into the air and they rained down upon the Egyptians.

So, the gringa does not think that, even if this record is authentic, that it is evidence of UFO visitation with ancient Egypt. What I believe is that there was a very close fly-by event of a comet or comet cluster. It came so close to Earth’s atmosphere that some of the debris in the tail section broke away, much of it burning up in Earth’s atmosphere. However, there were some bits that were incredibly large and at least one that impacted the Nile or Euphrates Rivers. The impact was so powerful that the splashback ejected fish into the air that rained down upon the area.

And just like the raining down of Egyptian fish, the gringa is very sorry to be a UFO party pooper, raining on the dear reader’s parade of the ancient Egyptian/extra-terrestrial connection. However, to be fair, I am still digging through the “evidence” to see if at least one item could create an “AHA!” moment. Stay tuned.

It’s pretty common for researchers and common man to first think about the coastal dwellers who will be displaced by rising ocean levels due to climate change. Thoughts also quickly turn to coastal species of plants and animals that may fare even worse, having nowhere to turn, and thus possibly becoming extinct.

One thing that is rarely considered are national treasures that sit seaside or within a harbor. What will happen to the likes of the Statue of Liberty or Nelson’s Column? What of the Doe and Stag columns that welcome sailors into safe harbor at the island of Rhodes? How many wonderful works of art will possibly be swallowed up by the seas and lost to landlubbers because of climate change?

And these are only a few that the gringa was able to search for and find. There are very few land-locked nations. Every country with a coastline has something to lose. We all have some artistic skin in the game. Beautiful, historic works of art are destined for watery graves, sooner or later, because of climate change. There may be a few heads bobbing above the waves but most of them will be forgotten by future generations except for adventurous scuba divers on photo safari.

Experts indicate that fossil fuel pollution accelerated climate change will continue to affect our planet even if we switched tomorrow to alternatives. We have passed the tipping point. It’s possible we have caused enough damage to affect significant change for the next 100,000 years. Over that period of time, as global temperatures continue to rise, sea levels will, too. Possibly as much as fifty meters (150 feet).

That means that timeless works of art that look out upon the seas and oceans of this world will definitely be inundated to oblivion. But to understand the true scope of the course our lifestyles have plotted for our planet, consider Nelson’s Column which is located well inland, at Trafalgar Square in London. Models of climate change predict that by the time this cycle has run its course, only half of the column will be visible above the water line.

Before these dramatic events reach their fulfillment, mankind will have undergone dramatic migrational upheavals. As much as one fifth of the world’s population is expected to be affected. Rough estimates put current world population at about seven billion. That means that about one billion and four hundred million (1,400,000,000) people are going to have to move.

Dear readers, consider the strain Europe is undergoing right now with a Syrian refugee migration. The United Nations reports that over nine million Syrians have fled their homes since the civil war began years ago. Estimates put the numbers spilling into Europe at about one million, but those numbers are questionable. Imagine if the refugee numbers Europe had absorbed had been one thousand fold. That’s the kind of numbers scientists are talking about where climate change migration is concerned.

There is no technology available to build any seawall adequate to protect the populations of coastal cities. They will have to relocate. Eventually. Period. There is no going back. The best we can hope for is that if we start tomorrow with zero carbon emissions we might be able to spare future generations from a worst case scenario (as if).

And, since that’s not going to happen, the gringa says invest in some scuba gear, sturdy suitcases, and quality maps of inland locales if you are a coastal dweller. If you live on secure high ground, perhaps you should build a guest house or two, or three, or maybe even forty. It may be the humble beginnings of a future hotel and housing empire for your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren.

It’s pretty easy to find climate change articles discussing the changes that are taking place in the world’s oceans. But, the gringa asks, what about the lakes and rivers of the Earth?

I grew up on a river. I love rivers. I love canoeing and floating down rivers on tubes and camping out alongside the banks of a river. What’s happening with these rivers I love? And what about lakes? Every summer we take a traditional three day weekend family trip to one of the most beautiful lakes in Texas. What’s happening to this fabulous lake? Unfortunately, the research shows that these are all changing as well.

NASA’s response to this change is to create a “global water cycle budget”. It covers a ten year period of the Earth’s freshwater concerns. This will be the baseline by which future “global water cycle budget’s” will be compared.

The water cycle involves the entire environmental process of how water moves, in all forms, around this big, blue planet. As depicted in the image posted it is easy to trace how water evaporates from the surface of the Earth. As it rises into the atmosphere it cools, condenses into clouds, then returns to the Earth as precipitation (rain, snow, hail, or sleet). This is the kind of science the gringa learned in elementary school but it is, perhaps, the most critical environmental cycle for the continuation of life on Earth.

From the year 2000 until 2010 NASA collected satellite data to estimate how much energy from the sun was required to move water. Hotter days means more evaporation of water within the soil. More evaporation means more moisture in the winds that transport this moisture throughout the world. Because the Earth is a closed system, any water that evaporates from its surface can be accounted for in the water vapor that eventually accumulates in the atmosphere. It’s kind of like taking a jar of pennies to the bank and getting dollars in return. It’s an even exchange of the same thing, money, but it exists in two different forms, pennies or bills. Water on Earth is the same. It’s either here on Earth as water or in the atmosphere as a form of precipitation.

However, the water model is a bit more complicated. Consider that each penny represents a different data set concerning where the water is specifically located, formed, or used. Such as: ocean, lake, evaporation from soil and plants, streams, rivers, human consumption. To help scientists manage all of this data they divide the Earth into seven land masses (Eurasia, South America, North America, Africa, Antarctica, Mainland Australia, Oceania/New Zealand/Tasmania) and nine ocean basins (North Pacific, South Pacific, Indian, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Arctic, Black Sea).

Over two dozen satellites provide scientists with data concerning precipitation and evaporation over the land masses and oceans. Researchers can track the movement of atmospheric water vapor, river runoff, groundwater reservoirs, soil moisture and snowpacks.

These important studies have already determined that lakes around the world are warming. This warming trend is affecting the ecosystems they are a part of as well as threatening the security of adequate freshwater supplies.

To come to the conclusion that lakes are warming, NASA used a twenty-five year compilation of data of ground measurements of over 200 lakes on six separate continents. On average, the lakes are warming about half a degree Fahrenheit every decade. Some lakes, the ones at higher latitudes, are warming even faster, one whole degree Fahrenheit per decade. That means that freshwater lakes are warming faster than the oceans.

As lakes warm, algal blooms increase. These rob the oxygen in the water from the fish. NASA’s models predict a twenty percent increase in these toxic algal blooms over the next century. Not only will this result in a chain reaction within the ecosystem wiping out the fish, as well as the wildlife and fauna that depend on those fish, but the blooms will also increase greenhouse gas emissions. Algal blooms are expected to produce methane emissions that will increase four percent over the next decade unless we Earthlings come up with a solution.

Solving the lake warming problem is a very important component of solving the climate change problem because methane emissions are 25 times more powerful than carbon emissions. A massive worldwide increase of algal blooms in freshwater lakes is a disaster we cannot allow to happen.

If the world’s lakes become a casualty of climate change, it won’t just be an environmental disaster, it will be a humanitarian disaster. These are important sources for drinking water, crop irrigation, and the production of food fish that are an important protein source for vulnerable populations around the world. Some researchers are already detecting evidence that productivity in warming lakes is already declining.

Out of the 37 largest aquifers on Earth, 21 are already past the sustainability tipping point and are being depleted. Another 13 are classified as “significantly distressed”. Eight are classified as “overstressed”. “Distressed” and “overstressed” means that these water sources have no natural replenishment to offset consumption. Five more were classified as “extremely stressed”, being depleted but with some replenishment occurring.

These were the conclusions of NASA’s study of ten years of data from the GRACE satellites. The GRACE satellites measure how Earth’s gravity is affected by existing masses of water. What NASA reports is alarming and difficult for the gringa to swallow, even with a glassful of water. That means that almost one third of our world’s groundwater is rapidly disappearing. And what’s even scarier is there is no reliable data that can predict just exactly when these wells will run dry. Yet, we continue to consume rather than conserve.

One of these overstressed reservoirs is the Arabian Aquifer System. It sustains over 60 million people. If we think there’s trouble in the Middle East right now over regional power struggles and the global fight to dominate the oilfields for profit, what the heck can we expect to see when these people have nothing left to drink? What kind of mass exodus will occur when that happens? This is a problem that must be solved. When climate change deniers scoff at the idea that climate change is the single most issue that threatens the national security of all peoples, they have no idea what they are talking about.

If Americans thought the California and Texas droughts were painful, consider what could occur in India and Pakistan, home to the second-most overstressed aquifer, the Indus Basin. Then there’s the third most overstressed water source, the Murzuk-Djado basin in north Africa. These regions are home to almost two billion people! Think about the Syrian refugee crisis. We ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

While working toward a solution, scientists cannot agree on any projected timeline of “time to depletion”. And when the gringa says they cannot agree, I’m talking about discrepancies of warnings of ten years to twenty-one THOUSAND years! However, one thing that these scientists DO agree on is that in a water-scarce society that is water dependent, this kind of ignorance is intolerable. Well, the gringa is glad to hear that.

Because groundwater reservoirs are so deep beneath the surface of the Earth, the only method to accurately measure just how much is down there is to drill, baby, drill. It’s gonna cost a lot of money, but the experts say it has to be done. NASA is committed to using its technology, personnel and data to help secure mankind’s future and improve lives around the world. By sharing knowledge freely with scientists around the world, the agency hopes to increase understanding that will lead to solutions.

The gringa waits to hear NASA’s announcement of a challenge like “Dig A Hole, Save The Planet”. The gringa has every confidence that NASA will continue to lead the charge to save us Earthlings from ourselves and the messes we continue to make. These challenges are simply a way for us to redeem ourselves after making such awful messes.